In this third year of Al Hakam, we will present a selection of incidents from the blessed life of the Promised Messiah, peace be upon him, this time, with some more details
3 April 1898: The Promised Messiahas had been warning the masses about fast approaching disasters like the plague and reminding humanity about the rights of Allah. Even during his time, the Promised Messiahas and his Companionsra faced every possible form of adversity. For example, a rumour about the sudden demise of the Promised Messiahas was intentionally spread and a fake obituary under the title “Afsosnak hadsa” was circulated far and wide. The main perpetrator behind this mischievous act was a so-called religious scholar Maulvi Muhammad Bakhsh from Lahore. To calm the distraught Ahmadis, the Jamaat’s (Urdu) newspaper, Al Hakam published a special issue on this day. The editor of Al Hakam also drew the attention of the British authorities in India towards these common enemies who spread fake news and malice.
3 April 1902: Hazrat Haji Seith Allah Rakha Abdur Rahmanra was lucky enough to receive the special prayers of his master, the Promised Messiahas. On this date, the Promised Messiahas himself shared in one of his letters that he had prayed for him so much that this prayer could only be done for the luckiest person on earth. Huzooras added that the graciousness of God always comes from an unknown source. In the letter, the Promised Messiahas also mentioned to Hazrat Seith Sahib that the plague was claiming around twenty thousand lives every week.
4 April 1905: In accordance with a series of divine prophecies vouchsafed to the Promised Messiahas, a strong earthquake struck the Indian subcontinent. The modern-day Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, Kangra, and its surrounding areas saw great destruction as a result. The Promised Messiahas had received a series of revelations prior to this earthquake, warning of its occurrence, such as, “Shock of the earthquake” and “Temporary residences and permanent ones will be wiped out.”
On this date, the earthquake measured 7.8 on the surface-wave magnitude scale and killed more than 20,000 people. As many as 100,000 buildings were reported to have been demolished by the earthquake. There was also major damage to the network of hillside watercourses that had provided water to the inhabitants. The total cost of recovering from the effects of the earthquake were calculated as 2.9 million (1905) rupees. On the same day as this earthquake, in Qadian, early in the morning at around 6am, the Promised Messiahas was occupied in writing the fifth and final part of Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya. Immediately after he wrote the clause, “A warner came into the world and the world did not accept him, but God will accept him and will establish his truth by mighty assaults”, the above mentioned earthquake began and the seismic activity took off.
4 April 1906: An opponent of the Promised Messiahas, Charagh Din of Jammu, died according to a prophecy. This opponent fell prey to the plague along with his two sons. The Promised Messiahas stated:
“The unfortunate Charagh Din of Jammu, who was formerly a member of my Jamaat, perished … He received a satanic revelation that he was a messenger and was from among the apostles and Jesus had given him a staff with which to kill the Dajjal – and he declared me as the Dajjal. Eventually, in accordance with the prophecy recorded in the treatise Dafi ‘ul-Bala‘i wa Ma‘yaru Ahlil-Istifa [Defence Against the Plague and a Criterion for the Elect of God], he died of the plague at a young age along with his two sons. A few days before his death, he even published an article in the manner of a mubahilah [prayer duel], referring to me by name, that of the two of us, may God destroy the one who is a liar. Consequently, on 4 April 1906, he, along with both his sons, died of the plague.
فاتقوا اللہ یا معشرالملھمین
[Fear God, O ye claimants of revelation!]”
4 April 1908: The Promised Messiahas saw a vision around 1865 about Hazrat Guru Baba Nanakrh. He then started painstaking research into Hazrat Guru Nanak’srh piety. After 30 years of research, he published a book called Sat-Bachan, which was about the reality of Hazrat Guru Nanakrh. The Promised Messiah’sas dedication was such that only weeks before his sad demise, he came to know that a copy of the Quran was also among the relics of Hazrat Guru Baba Nanakrh in district Ferozpur of East Punjab. To confirm and further investigate this vital clue, he sent a delegation on this day. This party consisted of eight people, including a young Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra, who was then the editor of Tash-heez-ul-Azhan. The Promised Messiahas added the report presented by this delegation to his book Chashma-e-Ma‘rifat, which further strengthened his research on the topic.
6 April 1894: The heavenly sign of the solar eclipse was shown in favour of the Promised Messiahas on 27 Ramadan 1311 AH. The Promised Messiahas himself came out and observed the sky. A special prayer was offered in Masjid Mubarak, Qadian on this occasion. This glorious sign manifested by God to prove the truthfulness of His servant, the Promised Messiahas compelled many fortunate people to enter the fold of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat in Islam.
7 April 1907: An adversary of the Promised Messiahas, Munshi Ilahi Bakhsh, who was an accountant, died on this day. Earlier, this unfortunate person was among the closest companions of the Promised Messiahas, but his inner darkness led him to his bitter end. Munshi Ilahi Bakhsh published the mischievous book Asa-e-Musa, which was full of attacks on the Promised Messiahas.
8 April 1897: The Promised Messiah’sas prophecy about the Arya Samaj’s leader, Pandit Lekhram was fulfilled when this abusive opponent met his end on 6 March 1897. Due to the unexpected death of Lekhram and the Promised Messiahas foretelling that he would die, false accusations were raised against the Promised Messiahas, including accusations of murder. Upon the immense pressure by the Arya Samajists on the government to investigate and hold accountable the Promised Messiahas in the murder of Lekhram, on this date, police investigators searched the house of the Promised Messiahas in Qadian to search for evidence. Moments before the arrival of the police, the Promised Messiahas was busy in reading the final transcript of his book, Siraj-e-Munir. The police contingent was led by Mr Limarchand, Superintendent Police Gurdaspur and Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, Inspector Batala. Huzooras welcomed the officials and led them to every corner of the house. During this raid, a police official hurt himself after hitting his head on a door frame. Seeing this, the Promised Messiahas offered a glass of warm milk or anything he wished to ease the pain. Even the Promised Messiah’sas relative, Mirza Imam Din, a man who greatly opposed the Promised Messiahas, joined the police search party to help them find evidence. On this date, this party also searched the guesthouse, press and residence of Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Nuruddinra. Of course, the police found no evidence at all as the Promised Messiahas had nothing to do with the mysterious death of Lekhram. This was a divine punishment and a great sign for the truthfulness of the Promised Messiahas.
9 April 1907: On this date, the Promised Messiahas was vouchsafed a prophecy from God Almighty concerning the “Calamity of Damascus” (Bala-e-Damishq). The first major manifestation of this prophecy was recorded in the 1920s, when French troops heavily bombed Damascus. Without a doubt, the effects of this prophecy can be felt even today.